Research Center

Common Latin Genealogy Terms (Latin to English)

You may find Latin terms used in records that are of genealogical interest. Latin is most likely to be found in Roman Catholic sacramental registers. In records from European parishes, you may find a mixture of Latin and the vernacular. Many other pre-twentieth-century records were also kept in Latin, especially those associated with higher education or learning.

a, ab

from

ablutus

christening

abortivus

premature birth

acatholicus

non-catholic

ad

to

aetas, aetatis

age

altera die

on the next day

ambo

stranger, foreigner

anno domini

in the year of our Year

anno incarnationis

in the year of the incarnation of the Lord

anonyma

stillborn daughter

anonymus

stillborn son

anti, ante

before

apud

near, at

aut

or

autem

however

banni

marriage banns

bannum

advance marriage announcement

baptismi, baptizatus

christening

biduum

two days

cautella

caution

civitas, civitatis

city or state

cognomen

name, surname

comitas

county

commater

godmother

compater

godfather

conjuncti

marriage

conjus

husband

conjux

wife

consors

wife

copulatio, copulati

marriage

cras

tomorrow

decessit

death

decessus

death

defunctus

dead

denatus

death

denuntiatio, denuntiationis

announcement (of banns)

denuntiationes

marriage banns

die sequenti

on the following day

die vero

this very day

eadem

the same, by the same (f.)

eam

her

ei

them

eis

to, by them

ejustdem die

of the same day

eo tempore

at this time

eodem anno

in the same year

eodem die

on the same day

eodem mense

in the same month

eodem

by the same (m. and n.)

ex

from (place of origin)

femina

wife

feria

day

filia

daughter of

filius

son of

genitores

parents

genitus

born

gradus

step, degree (of kindred)

hac, haec, hoc, hujus, his

this

hebdomada

week

hic

here, now

hodie

today

humantus, humantio

burial

ibi

here

ibidem

in the same place

idem

the same (m. and n.)

ifans

son of

instans, instantis

present, current, instant

intronizati

marriage

ipse

self

item

also

lautus

christening

levantes

godparent

ligati

marriage

long tempore

for a long time

lustratio

christening

mane

in the morning

manu

by hand (signed)

marita

wife

mariti

marriage

maritus

husband

martimonium

marriage

mater

mother

matrina

godmother

mors, mortis

death

mortutuus

death

mulier

wife

N., N.N. (Nomen)

blank space for name(s)

nati, natus, natales

birth

nocte

at night

nomen

name, given name

nox, noctis

night

nudius terius

three days earlier

nunc dies terius

three days earlier

nunc temporis

of the present time

nupti

marriage

ob

for, because of, in accordance with

obiit

death

obitus

death

oriundus

birth

ortus

birth

pagus

village

parentes

parents

parochia or paroecia

parish

pater

father

patrini

godparent

perendi

day after tommorow

periculum

peril, danger

peritus

death

plutus

christening

postridie

the day after

pridie

the day before

pro tempore

at the time

proclamationes

marriage banns

proles

child

puer

child

purgatus

christening

relicta

widow

relictus

widower

renatus

christening

sepelivi

I have buried

sepulti, sepulutus

burial

sepultus

buried

sponsa

bride, wife

sponsati

marriage

sponsus

bridegroom, husband

subscriptus

undersigned

susceptores

godparent

tamen

nevertheless, yet, however, indeed

testis

witness

triduum

three day period

tunc temporis

of former time

ubi

where

ultimus

last

uxor, vxor

wife

vespere

in the evening

vidua

widow

viduas

widower

vir

husband

Free Monthly Newsletter

Learn about new record collections and features, get advice from the experts, read success stories and more.